


The Warrior Princess of Barbells (and Company)

by the_lesbian_hercules



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/F, M/M, Useless Lesbians, anna and elsa are orphans of a rich family, buff!honeymaren, buff!honeymaren is NOT a fetish based thing, buff!ryder, did i say how much i missed the gym?, dogwalker!kristoff, honeymaren and ryder are foster children, i just miss the gym, i miss the gym so much i had to write this, i powerlift, in which ryder is pining over kristoff, in which sven is a mastiff, philanthropist!anna, philanthropist!elsa, powerlifter!honeymaren, powerlifter!ryder, sorry if you're into that, writing this for shits and giggles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:40:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24199105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_lesbian_hercules/pseuds/the_lesbian_hercules
Summary: A competitive powerlifting Honeymaren gets caught up with a very rich, foolhardy Anna, her dog-loving boyfriend Kristoff, and her very attractive older sister who is Off Limits.Alternatively: A Buff!Honeymaren piece in which Anna will relentlessly cockblock Honeymaren (and Company)  who will simply have to deal with it.{Self-Indulgent Powerlifting AU because the author desperately misses the gym.}
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney), Kristoff/Ryder Nattura
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57





	The Warrior Princess of Barbells (and Company)

**Author's Note:**

> Slight warning for gym slang, human muscle/bone anatomy mentions, and casual swearing. Also, I don't know how relevant this is but there's a mention of Cutting, which probably doesn't mean what you think it means in this context. "Cutting" is simply decreasing your calorie intake so that you're in a calorie deficit. It is the opposite of "bulking": increasing calorie intake so that you're in a calorie surplus. 
> 
> With that being said, let's get to it!

Honeymaren was not expecting to experience a life or death situation at such a young age. 

She was 21 and didn't eat breakfast this morning, but the ever-dulling claws of hunger dragging through her stomach were hardly noticeable right now. The crushing pressure of a standard barbell and three 45lb iron weights on either side rested comfortably on her shoulders. With her knees angled straight forward and back arched _ever_ so slightly, Honeymaren dipped down to the floor. Grunting, she was forced to ignore the sweat spilling down her forehead from a warm, sandy beanie on her head. She should've taken it off but it was too late to fidget around. 

_Focus!_

Effort raged through her muscles like a firestorm as she commanded that they fight against gravity, became stronger from the pain, and master the feeling of soreness slashing at her hardened form. As quickly as she dipped down, she had risen to straighten her knees. 

Honeymaren had broken her personal, max squat record! 

"Hell, yeah, Honey!" Her shirtless younger brother (who doubled as a loyal gym partner), Ryder, stood behind her the whole time. He leaned forward, his hands cupped under Honeymaren's barbell, spotting her lift. She smiled back at him as they pushed up 270lbs of iron and steel back onto the squat rack. Ryder's ocean eyes glittered like an excited owl. "That was amazing! A new squat PR while you're cutting! Who are you, Wonder Woman?" 

" _Pssh_ ", she blew a raspberry, ignoring the sweat that collected on her skin. The powerlifter felt her entire body pulsing with energy, half of from her pre-workout supplements, but the other half was pure pride and adrenaline. Ryder threw his head back in a giddy laugh as she pulled her shoulders back and flexed two large biceps with a toothy grin. "No, way! I'm _Honeymaren._ The Warrior Princess of Barbells!" 

"What does that make me then?" Despite the massive muscular frame that Ryder carried from his own lifts in the gym, Honeymaren still saw the adorable baby brother that she used to be able to carry on her back, hold things over his head, and swaddle him in a patented "big sister" hug. Now he was 19 years old and things were quite the opposite. Flashing a mischievous glance at her head, he grabbed hold of her stone-colored beanie and placed it on top of his own head of brown hair. " _I_ want to be a warrior princess!" 

"You dork!" she bared her teeth like a cat seething at a dog, though she felt no resentment towards him. "Give that back or I'll just have to assign you to be the court jester!" 

A blank stare of contemplation clouded his gaze, then in one swift motion he tossed the beanie back to its owner with a simper. "I wouldn't mind being court jester, but honestly? You shouldn't wear this hat when you lift. It's soaked and I think I feel _your_ sweat on _my_ head! I didn't even get to squat yet!" 

Firmly, she tugged the beanie back where it belonged. She frowned, feeling the moisture of the hat on her ears. "Okay. You're right, but we all need comfort items at the gym, right? I have mine", she glared at her younger brother with a quirk of her brow. "And _you_ have Kris..." 

" _Honeymaren!_ " The titan of a boy had raised his gigantic hands to hide the color seeping onto his face. Laughter bubbled up in the woman's throat and she almost flushed the same way from pure amusement. Ryder parted two fingers from his eyes only to glare ruefully behind them. "I told you about him in confidence. Not for you to dangle it above my head!" 

The brunette only blinked her squinted eyes doubtfully. She jabbed a thumb to the sandy beanie. "Karma's a bitch, isn't she?" 

"This is different!" he pouted. 

"Yeah. I'll never let you live this one down." She could only manage to give a soft punch to Ryder's slumped shoulder, a silent gesture of peace between the siblings. It did nothing to ease the palpable mortification welling not only in his gaze but on his skin as warmth. The elder frowned. "Hey, don't be like that. I just don't understand why it to be Anna's _boyfriend_ you..." She held her tongue, looking for the appropriate words. "... found comfort in?" 

Slowly, he balled his hands up into his sweatpants pockets with a sigh. Honeymaren couldn't catch his gaze, but she was sure that his pupils would be blown out wide and glistening with mirth. 

_They would go heart-shaped too if they could!_

As his older sister, Honeymaren was never too thrilled at the prospects of Ryder and his male (or female) suitors. The innateness of protecting him mostly overpowered his pleas that she "get a fucking grip" and "stop scaring away everyone that showed interest in him". Lately, Ryder seemed to be having some sort of a dry spell, but it didn't comfort the older sister like she thought it would. Right now, the boy could develop a crush on just about anything... But she could see why Kristoff, the blond, dog-loving oaf, was attractive. Charisma seemed to simply latch onto his person at all times, even when he would come into the gym with Sven's, a fluffy mastiff, fur coating his sweats. It was no wonder Kristoff was dating Anna who was equally charming and pretty. 

Honeymaren and Anna's acquaintanceship started off a small rivalry that formed over quick glances over at the weights placed on the end of a barbell, numbers etched onto speedy treadmills, and the reps dealt on various dumbbell exercises. Soon, it even got to the point where they were racing to see who could drink the most water from the fountain. As much as Honeymaren was determined to keep up with such high energy, she simply wasn't enthusiastic about their pettiness at that point. The redhead was the first to make actual contact, though Honeymaren wasn't too far behind. 

"Competing with you is one hell of a workout!" Anna gave an amiable gaze as she flanked Honeymaren's side just as the powerlifter was setting up her bench press. "Why do you play with those metal bars like that? Isn't it easier to use rubber equipment?" 

Honeymaren blinked back at teal eyes with a wary brow raised. "For beginners, sure. But I'm pretty seasoned..." She recalled watching the lean-muscled woman struggle with the iron weights, always frowning and flushed with frustration. Suspicion tingled away at the back of her mind. "Uh, so, how long have you been lifting?" 

A guilty smile graced the ginger's lips as she ran twitching fingers through her hair. "Ha! A week ago. I saw you doing it and thought, 'Hey! That looks badass! I wanna try!'" 

"You don't know how to use the weights _at all_?" her jaw nearly fell as Anna simply nodded, proud of herself. But Honeymaren frowned, her suspicions were confirmed. "That's not safe!" 

"Well, teach me how to use it then!" The ginger paid no attention to Honeymaren's regretful sigh. "You're a personal trainer, right?" 

And that was how Honeymaren got her newest client and slowly turned friend. 

Anna's daily sessions had put Honeymaren in a good financial position. Apparently, the bubbly redhead was always out getting involved in some new, bazaar antics. This month was a "powerlifting training adventure", as Anna put it. Money was clearly not a problem for her, because as soon as she booked Honeymaren, she also booked Kristoff to train with Ryder. 

Her little brother grew infatuated with the blond man sooner than either of the women necessarily liked, but it wasn't too obvious what the extent of it was. Honeymaren hoped Anna merely assumed that Ryder's coveted focus on her boyfriend was only a personality quirk. 

Kristoff was off-limits because of Anna _and_ because he was a client at their gym. Not that this made Honeymaren remorseful for her brother and his lack of a boyfriend. In the past, none of his dates had gone anywhere serious. He was too young to take things "seriously". It's not like she wanted to see him unhappy, just in a healthy, loving, and fulfilling relationship. 

"Absolutely no flings!" She remembered reprimanding the newly enrolled college freshman that first day he moved in with her."You either make it to the sheets after a year of dating or the sheets then date for a year. Understand?" 

"Yes, sir!" He thought it was a stupid rule, to say the very least, but Honeymaren figured she knew what she was doing. Yelena, the woman that raised them since toddlerhood, had told her the same exact thing when she moved out of their foster home."It won't happen again, sir!"

"Again?" she barked. "What do you mean again!?" 

Ryder only shrugged sheepishly then, resembling the way he did it presently as he thought about Kristoff. "You don't get it, dude. If I could do something about what I'm feeling, I totally would, but..." He sighed. "Anyway, I have to coach him in an hour, so will you spot my lift?" 

"Of course", she nodded to the squat rack. "How much are we going for today?" 

"I'll just warm up for now", he glanced at her with a tentative smile. "I can still feel the PR you made me do yesterday! Can you take one of those plates off?" 

Honeymaren chuffed, pride swelling in her chest. She pulled a slightly rusted safety clip from one side of the barbell as Ryder went to handle the other. "Okay, okay! I'm still so damn happy about that! All we should work on is increasing your depth. I didn't buy you those knee sleeves only for you to _not_ bend your knees." 

"You don't want me to bend them", he spat, the playfulness returning in his tone. A 45lb plate was placed gently on the ground beside his sneaker. "You want me to shatter them mid-squat and then thank you for it!" 

"Hey, whatever makes those gains!" Finished with adjusting the plates and clip, Honeymaren went over to land an encouraging fist on his bare shoulder blades. "Let's push that weight!" 

Soon the siblings had finished with the squat rack and moved on to prepare the bench press. They had to move quickly before--

"Honeymaren! Ryder!" 

Their first client of the day arrived just on time. 

Light danced on Anna's ginger hair, but it was dull compared to the sparkle of her eyes. She wore her usual sports bras and leggings, but today must've been a busy one because on her feet were a pair of leather boots that were not appropriate for the work they were about to do. Honeymaren giggled looking down at Anna's footwear. "Good morning, General. I had no idea we were running in the trenches today." 

Puffing her cheeks, she slapped the woman's arm lightly. "I didn't have time to look for my sneakers, okay? That's a side effect of waking up at 6 AM to lift weights halfway across town!" 

"Where's Kristoff?" Ryder looked past the women and towards the entrance, his older sister could tell that the blank stare he put on was merely a mask to conceal his feelings. "I hope he doesn't skip out on today, we have plenty to work on." 

"Oh, he's in the parking lot", the ginger smiled back. "This dummy was slapping himself awake and the dog had to get him to stop. I hadn't noticed before, but this guy is totally _not_ a morning person. Weird that he wakes up only an hour earlier and it changes so much!" 

"Sometimes people need the extra hour", Honeymaren offered with a shrug. "Just like now, every single second will count." She placed a hand on Anna's bare shoulder and gently lead her over to the dumbbell racks. "Do you remember your warm-up routine? I can do it with you if you want." 

Brushing the touch off, Anna snorted. "'Course I remember! You just like making me sore before the real work has begun." 

"Don't worry", she smiled at the ginger's pink flush hiding the freckles sprinkled along her skin. "You'll get used to warming up and then you won't get sore so quickly." At Anna's little smile, she added quietly. "You'll just be sore from my workout. Trust me." 

"You're so mean", she sneered back playfully, but picked up a pair of iron weights. 

"Woah, wait. You need to stretch first!" 

"Oh, right", Anna stuck out her tongue. "I keep forgetting that part! It's so boring!"   
  


Honeymaren could only sigh and shake her head. "It won't be so boring when you realize that it prevents soreness." 

"Like hell it does!" Leaning over, the redhead touched her toes with her fingertips. Between her legs, she glared at Honeymaren, her teal eyes were no longer framed by auburn hair that fell upside down in twin braids. "The only thing that could prevent my soreness is if I use rubber dumbbells, but even then you'd probably find a way to make it harder for me!" 

"Rubber weights..." She arched an eyebrow. "Aren't easier to lift than iron ones." 

"Sure they are! They weigh less, don't they?" 

"Uh..." She wasn't sure how to respond. On one hand, yes, rubber weights technically weighed less than iron ones, but on the other, she didn't want to offend Anna's intelligence. They just weren't that close yet. The powerlifter bit her lip, deciding on how to explain it best. "If a rubber weight was five pounds and an iron weight is also five pounds, they both need the same amount of force to lift it up..." 

"Yes, but", Anna grunted briefly as she hid her hands behind her back and brought her chest to close to the floor. A hamstring stretch. "It will always require more rubber than iron to make the same amount of dumbbell!" 

"Sure, but that doesn't make rubber easier to lift than iron, not in the gym anyways!" 

"Wanna bet?" A fire sparked to life in Anna's cool colored eyes. Competition? 

"You know I do", the response rolled off her tongue before her brain could catch up. "I'll get a rubber kettlebells too if you _really_ believe what you're saying!" 

"Go for it", the ginger wiggled her freckled shoulders easily. A taunt? "I'll finish up here." 

Walking away from the dumbbell racks, Honeymaren could only sigh to herself. What was she doing? _Of course fucking rubber weights aren't easier than iron ones, but I don't_ really _have to prove that, do I?_

Coming out of the office that doubled as a supply closet, Ryder gave her a concerned glance but smiled at her anyway. "You alright? I heard you two talking but I didn't hear what about."   
  


"Rubber dumbbells", she pinched the bridge of her nose. "They're not easier to lift than iron ones, are they?" 

"That depends on who you ask." 

"What? Ryder, no! Five pounds is five pounds, no matter what the material is!"   
  


"Woah, hey, I know that. I'm just saying if someone has soft hands then they might want to go with rubber weights. Therefore, making rubber weights easier to lift. If someone has calloused hands, the rubber may slip from their grasp, therefore _iron_ might be easier." Ryder finished with his explanation leaned on the office wall, waiting for Honeymaren to rebuttal. It didn't come. She was only able to squint at him, thoughtfully. Was he right? He looked away, suddenly bashful. "But maybe that logic doesn't make sense..." 

"Well, you mean preferences", she finally breathed. "But numbers-wise, the materials don't matter. We could be lifting _wood_ for all I care, and it wouldn't be easier than anything else." Sliding past him, she made her way into the closet and picked out two weights with rubber, magenta coating. She motioned to them when she passed by Ryder again. "These will make Anna just as sore as iron!" 

"If you say so", he said simply. "Though I don't know how you'll convince her with basically brute force."

"Brute force..." she spat. "It's not! It's just logic!" 

But Ryder ignored her in favor of the front door opening, revealing Kristoff with his usual black sweats and tired face. "Oh! I'll have to talk to you later!"   
  


"Sure", she sighed and made her way back over to Anna. "Here. These are for you." 

"Thanks, Honey!" The ginger ignored the brunette's eye roll and brought one of the dumbbells to rest next to an iron one. "Now look, they're both 20 pounds but _this_ one is definitely bigger!" 

"Hey, Honeymaren, Annie", Kristoff appeared next to them with Ryder right on his heels. She didn't see from the front door, but the blond had dark bags heavy under his eyes. _Maybe he shouldn't work out so early if he's just being detrimental in the long run._ The blond frowned at Anna. "Hey, your sister called your phone and I picked up. That's why I was so late... You should probably go talk to her, it sounded pretty urgent." 

"Elsa called _my_ phone?" Her spine straightened and her lips curved into a smile, much like a dog hearing their owner's keys outside the house after a long day of being alone. It almost made Honeymaren giggle. "Well, I hate to keep her waiting but..." She shrugged towards Honeymaren and Kristoff. "I _did_ make a commitment. No phone during gym time! She'll... just have to wait!" 

"Oh", Kristoff smiled back slowly. "Are you sure? I told her you were busy, but..." 

"Oh, yeah!" Anna reached over to pick up the iron and rubber dumbbell. "Hey, which one do you think is easier to lift?" 

"Um..." he chewed on his lip momentarily. "Is this a trick question?" 

"No." Honeymaren frowned and put a hand on her hip. "She really means it. Is the iron one harder to lift than the rubber one?" 

"Annie", he chuckled. "They weigh exactly the same. There's no difference." 

"Kristoff!" The ginger grunted as she set them down. "You're supposed to be on _my_ side!" 

"Well... Considering that I didn't know what side that was, it's also the wrong side... So, sorry that you're wrong, I guess." 

The couple exchanged more petty arguments before they went their separate ways on opposite sides of the gym. Honeymaren had only watched, though she was happy that Kristoff thought about the debate logically. She didn't want to get involved in the couply banter. 

Soon enough, Anna and Honeymaren went to the bench press, ready to break the redhead's personal record that hadn't moved very much since they began their training. Like a child at an amusement park, Anna jumped onto the bench and brushed her fingers on the shiny barbell overhead. "I'm so ready to _crush_ this one-hundred! This bulking stuff has made me feel like a warrior!" 

"You're starting to look like one too!" She _had_ noticed the weight Anna was putting on these past few days, her new eating regime was going to make sure that she gained one pound per week of training as per quo of the calorie surplus. "I'll go set up your bench, okay?" 

"Okay!" 

Anna latched her back onto the bench with vigor watching intently at the swiftness Honeymaren was able to muster setting up the barbell. The brunette hummed thoughtfully. "You don't need a barbell pad, do you?" 

"Uh, kind of", she looked coyly at her chest. "I don't want to hurt the girls, you know?" 

Laughing, the trainer brought her a foam cylinder that opened up to go around the barbell and protect the user from bruising. She preferred not to use it for benching, but could relate to the painful feeling of excessive weight on her soft chest... 

Honeymaren climbed over the bench's rack and stood directly over Anna's head, far enough not to be touching her but close enough to grab onto the barbell. The redhead smirked up with a great deal of amusement glistening in her gaze. "Is this how you spot all of your clients?" 

"Yes, Anna." The larger woman arched an eyebrow back down to her, frowning. "This is how you're supposed to spot the bench. Unless you would _like_ to risk squishing your tits? Then I'll move back..." 

"Woah!" She shook her head frantically and gave an even wider grin. "No, way! You can stand there all you like, just don't let go of the bar, okay?" 

"Never. Now be serious!" 

"Yes, sir!" 

A sweaty Anna began to clench her jaw, and slowly pushed the barbell from the rack, but this wasn't going to be the hard part. Honeymaren flexed her lats discreetly as to not unsettle the woman underneath. The tremors traveling up Anna's freckled elbows were enough to put the powerlifter on edge, but now she was dropping the barbell, the foam pad squished gently onto her body. Honeymaren watched anxiously, her own fingers began to curl around the steel. 

" _Don't!"_ the ginger grunted, her face flushed pink. Power seemed to weld just enough for her arms to move up. "I've got it!" 

"Anna, c'mon... It's okay if you need help, just..." 

"What? No, I..." The barbell dropped back down to her bust. "HAVE IT!" 

Calmly, Honeymaren reached over and pulled the weight from the ginger, her brows furrowed with disappointment. Color spread across freckled skin, but thankfully there were no bruise-like markings, only embarrassment. Teal eyes looked up at her, mellow and regretful. 

"Are you okay?" Honeymaren managed to keep a straight face, though her heart began to pump rapidly against its ribcage. "You... You don't look as excited as you did when we started." 

"I just _failed!_ Why should I still be excited?" Now her pink had deepened into a scarlet. She pouted. "But, uh, thanks for saving me... or whatever." 

"Don't worry about it." The larger woman swung a leg over the bench rack and motioned for Anna to sit up. "We're going to try that again." 

"Again!?" she all but whined. "Why? Shouldn't we move on to something else?" 

"No, crybaby!" she laughed. "We keep trying until we achieve our goals. Today's goal is to break your bench press max, so we will! Of course, I won't make you hurt yourself, but I can probably give you more pointers for a better form." 

"Okay..." Anna finally offered a goofy smile, one Honeymaren actually found relief in. "But I'm not a crybaby. I'm just... a regular baby." 

"That you are." She unstrapped the barbell pad and threw it to the floor. "Now let me show you how you should be arching your back..." 

Giggling, the ginger hopped off the bench and stood near Honeymaren's head in the spotting position. "Hey, so, should I..." 

"Spot me? No." Honeymaren ignored the small frown on Anna's lips as she went on: "I need you to be watching from my side." 

So, the powerlifter did what she did best while Anna moped nearby. Her palms felt light under the weight of the familiar steel barbell sleeve and the twisting motion of the weight plates on either side gave her courage. Shifting her thick shoulder blades, she pressed them onto the sturdy plastic, smiled when they made a soft clicking noise, and rounded her spine as far as it would go. "This is a good way to increase your leverage and target the lower pectorals." 

"Your butt's not even on the bench!" 

"Yeah, but this is only a technique. It doesn't mean that you should do it all of the time."

"Can I see you try to lift like that?" Anna's usual playfulness edged on her voice. "It just looks kind of silly..." 

"I know, I know, but..." The steel was pushed smoothly from the rack in a shoulder-width grasp and she smiled at Anna's quiet "wowie". Honeymaren was able to bring it down her chest, but she didn't allow it to rest there, with one gentle touch, she brought it back up above her face and grunted. "This works just as good as a regular bench press. Just don't do it too much in competitions!" 

"Competitions", the ginger repeated, dazed. "I haven't even thought about that. Do you compete?" 

"I will in two more weeks." Habitually, the powerlifter locked her elbows before bringing the barbell down to her chest again. She was going for a few reps while Anna was distracted, it was a good excuse to finish her chest session that she wasn't able to finish with Ryder. "That's why I've been cutting instead of bulking." Anna simply nodded and allowed herself to self indulgently watch Honeymaren's arms rise and fall with practiced ease. Straining a bit after ten reps, she paused and turned to the redhead, the barbell held steady in her grip. "Would you ever compete? You seem like the type to try it." 

"Oh, totally! I..." 

_"Anna!"_

Both women jumped at the sharp, icy voice and the sound of heels clicking on the gym floor. The freckled one's jaw fell open, almost comically. "Elsa?" 

Curiously, Honeymaren looked over towards a tall, snowy blonde who did not look amused with their gym set up at all, not if her foot bumping into the side of a row machine and the profanity that followed it had anything to say about. Her crystal blue eyes pierced into Anna's ocean-tinted ones with a mix of worry and hurt. "Why didn't you pick up my call? Don't you know that..." Her gaze shot over to Honeymaren, still holding the high arch of her back and the barbell just over her nose. Color erupted on her pallid cheeks and neck. She didn't look away. "Uh, y-you... have responsibilities..." 

Blinking, Honeymaren fought to keep a straight face as she felt her own cheeks heat up. The blonde, she noticed very quickly, was _gorgeous_. A sharply tailored, azure-colored pantsuit clung nicely to "Elsa's" form, white hair flowed freely down her shoulders, and the blush dusting her features only heightened her flawless skin... Honeymaren's arms buckled, distractedly. 

"ARGH!" In a heartbeat, the barbell fell right down to her collarbone with a cartoonish _thud!_ followed by a cracking noise that Honeymaren prayed only she heard. 

"Holy crap!" Anna fluttered closer, Elsa right on her heels. "Uhhhh, Ryder? Help!" 

Pain sprouted through her chest as quickly as the butterflies of Elsa's curious, icy gaze had erupted in her stomach. Which was she supposed to focus on? Neither would go away, not with a barbell sitting on her form, her wrists crushed under it, and not with a beautiful woman standing right over her. She closed her eyes, air harder to find in her lungs and attempted to push the steel bar up, too flustered to think much more about her feelings. 

"Hold on, Honey!" Smoothly, she felt Ryder's big hands lift the bar off of her in the spotting position. A little wiggle on the left side alerted her to Anna's thinner hands grabbing the bottom on the weight plates and pulling with him. She groaned, eyes still closed but stinging with heat, and exhausted in more ways than one. 

A calm, breathy voice prompted Honeymaren to open one glaring eye. "A-Are you okay?" 

Elsa. Fire licked along her skin, it scorched her ears, swirled in her belly, and finally came to rest as she studied the crystal eyes looking down at her. She searched for judgment or pity but found none. 

"No", she finally sighed and swung herself from the bench, pain seeping from her neck to her ribcage. Ryder let her lean into his supportive body frame. She frowned at the fear clouding his gaze. "You promise not to freak out?" 

"W-Well, I don't..." He stopped her from shifting away with a tight, protective hand to her shoulder. "I don't know... What's wrong?" 

"I... might've, you know... Cracked my sternum." 

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I wrote this, to be honest.


End file.
